Elastic fluid turbine casing



Oct. 20, 1931. H. L. GUY

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE CASING Filed Nov. 8. 1929 INVENTOR H.L.Gu.3 BY wn ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2 0, 1931 UNITED STATESPATENT.TOFFEE HENRY LEWIS GUY, or HALE, ENGLAND, AssIGNOR TowEs'rrNGHousn ELECTRIC &

' MANUFAGTURING ooMrANY, A coaronArIo or: PENNSYLVANI ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE oAsING Application filed November 8, 1929, Serial No. 405,782,a nd in Great Britain ncmterl s, 1928.

This invention relates to elastic fluid turbines and concerns more particularly the cylinders or casings thereof.

In the case of steam turbines constructed to operate with steam at particularly high.

temperatures and pressures, it has been found that when starting the turbine, stresses may .tightness of the joints being impaired.

The object of the present invention is to reduce the disadvantageous effects above referred to and according thereto channels or ducts are. provided in the flange portions of the turbine cylinder in the regionof the bolt holes, and provision is made for passing therethrough fluid of high temperature, preferably approximating to the temperature of the motive fluid which passes through the interior ofthe cylinder.

The fluid passing through the said channels. or ducts comes into contact with the bolts and heats same at the same time as it heats the interior portions of the flanges, so that when starting the turbinethe temperature of these parts is raised at substantially the same rate as the body of the cylinder itself. Excessive straining of the bolts and/or flanges during starting may thereby be effectively prevented, and the steam-tightness of the joints preserved.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which show the cylinder of a steam turbine for utilizing motive fluid of particularly high temperature and pressure, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a portion of the lower half cylinder as seen when the upper half is removed; v

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the complete cylinder, only one of the flange bolts being shown in position; and,

Fig. 3 corresponds to a half section on line IIIIDI of Fig. 2.

The cylinder shown comprises upper and .lower'hali cyiinders 1, 2, which are adapted to be securedtogether by means of a suitable number of bolts-3 whichv are bossed through portions 5 of thehalf cylinders. Thelmeetmg faces of the flanges 5Iwhicli form the longitudinal joint6 ofthe cylinder must fit so perfectly and tightly togethertas to pretions 7 (Figs. 1' and 3), which portions surround shallow depressions S'forinedlongitudinally ofthe flanges in. theregion, of the 'bolt holes 4. 1 1 1 1= Thus, when'the cylinder halvesare assem bled together a channel'or' duct 9 is provided,

bolt holes 4 formed in the longitudinal flange N to which stea-mlmay be admitted byway of e an inlet conduit 10 entering near one end thereof, andled away by an, outlet conduit 11 near the other end thereof. The conduits 10, 11, are arranged so that the flowof steam through the channel ,9 takes plac'emainly in the same general direction as thatof motive fluidin the cylinder, namely, from left to right as viewed inFigs. 1 and2. i

:-The steam suppliedto the inlet conduit 10 maybe tapped off from the supply of motive fluid for the turbine'ofr from any other suitable source, but'ispreferablyof such temperature and quantity as to raise the temperatureofthefla'ngie portions 6 and-the bolts 3 wlth which it comes into contact, at substantially the same rate asthevbody of the cylinder itself is heated by'themotive fluid therein when starting the turbine. Thesteam may be admitted to the channel 9 with a gradually increasing temperature or rate of flow if desired; j r

The supply of the heating steam to channel 9 may be suitably controlled by valves which are opened when starting the turbine and remain open until the turbine cylinder l attains its normal temperature of operation, 7

whereafter they may be closed. It may also be desirable to open said valves to admit heating steam to the channels at any time that the supply of motive steam to the turbine is suddenly increased. I While in theconstruction shown, the channel 9 is formed by depressions 8 in both the upper and lower halves of the turbine flange 6, it will be apparent that only one of the said halves may be formed With a depression if desired, the face of the other half remaining plane. However, .the arrangement show-n may facilitate .the machining of lithe portions 7, which are of relatively restricted area, and by reason of the spacing of these portions and the disposition of the bolts 3 therebe tween the maintenance of-a steam-tight joint may also be facilitated.

The channel 9 may be only a small fraction of an inch in thickness, the depth as represented in Figs. 2 and 3 having been some what exaggerated for the sake :of clear-nests.

Leakagemifwthe'heating steam fromthe chanurel through the :bolt holes may ibe immaterial, but may be prevented by the washers '12 placed beneath the :capznuts 1:3.

It will berevidenttthat ztho invention may also be lappl-ied'toithe .circiunferentia'l flanges of cylinders which have ,circumfierential oints.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will )be obvious to .those skilled in the arttthat'it is not so :l'imited,"butis:suseeptibleof variouschanges-and modifications, without departing from the lspi rit :thereof, and I desire, therefore, that onlylsuch limitations :shall :be placed [thereupon :as .are imposed by the .prior :art :or as are specifically T-set forth in tthe :appended 01321111.

What l-claim *is':

An elastic fluid :turbine casing "for opera ition at Thigh pressure .and high stemperature,

said'easingibei-ng divided into parts having flange portions at'the meeting imes, bolts exitending through openings in the "flange portions :for securing the parts together, :one of the meeting iaces=of theiflange portions being formed with a re'cess extendingitheEfrill :length of :the fluid-enclosing portion of zthe casing and extending to'said bolts, and means "for conveying, ithroughsaid recess, heating fluid at substantially the temperature of the moti-ve fluid admitted to the turbine, Zinto contact with the bolts, whereby the bolts are heatedto thesamertemperature as the flange portions and-straining thereof :is avoided.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto. subscribed =my :name this 22nd :day :oflOctober, 1

HENRY LEWIS Gra 

